Amid strong demand for tickets and looming questions about hotel capacity, Qatar’s discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ community are raising more issues ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
FIFA has required that all hotels on its official list of recommended accommodations welcome guests in a “non-discriminatory manner,” or else risk the termination of their contracts with soccer’s world governing body.
This follows an ongoing investigation by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts after a report by Norway’s NRK that revealed that the Wyndham Grand Regency in Doha was among three hotel on FIFA’s list that prevented journalists posing as gay newlyweds from booking a room.
No More Room
The Qatar World Cup, which begins on Nov. 21, is sure to have an eclectic crowd, as it is on pace to surpass ticket sales for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which was the best-attended edition in 25 years.
- FIFA saw more than 800,000 tickets sold between January and March, with 17 million requests.
- Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million fans for the event.
Qatar’s Supreme Committee told the Associated Press that roughly 90,000 rooms will be available to the public, but officials project 850,000 overseas visitors will need rooms for the tournament.
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